From DJ to Land & Tech Developer: Rafael Weiss’ Unconventional Journey

Welcome to this episode of The Tori Nook Talk Show. In this conversation, Tori sits down with Rafael Weiss, CEO and Co-Founder of Sytes, a fast-growing tech platform built to streamline site selection for retailers, tenant reps, landlords, and developers. Rafael is also a developer with JW Advance and an experienced thoroughbred horse breeder, bringing a mix of CRE insight, entrepreneurial grit, and personal story into this conversation.

They walk through how Sytes originated out of frustration with the slow, fragmented dealmaking process in retail real estate. In addition to covering how the platform works, they dig into broader industry themes including deal velocity, tenant rep challenges, development timelines, and why transparency creates more opportunity for everyone involved in the CRE pipeline. Furthermore, it’s worth noting that Rafael shares his journey from DJ and music producer to developer and tech founder, highlighting how persistence, curiosity, and self-education shaped each step.

Topics covered:

How Sytes was created to fix inefficiencies in CRE deal flow
The communication gap between tenant reps and developers
Why speed, clarity, and accurate criteria improve dealmaking
Industry resistance to change and how adoption is shifting
Lessons from development, risk, and long-term planning
Personal growth, family influence, and transitioning careers
The thoroughbred racing world and why horses teach patience

Whether you are a broker, developer, retailer, or an operator who wants cleaner deal flow, this episode offers practical insights on how data and communication can drive better outcomes in CRE.